Christmas (cont.)

On Christmas Eve we got together with Chris' family for some good food and gifts! The pretty tree:



The little grandkids waiting for Santa!

Mimi trying to pass the time while Santa is getting ready:

The MANY (and that's not even all of them) gifts waiting to be opened!

Finally Santa came in... through the front door! What happened to the chimney?!

The kids' were very excited to see Santa!!

Santa passing out the goods:

Stocking and gift time!

The kids (and adults!) got so many great gifts as always! I can't wait to see Brynne open gifts next Christmas!! Thanks for all the gifts Mimi and PaPs!

We also had a great Christmas with my grandfather, grandmother, and mom, dad, and Allison's family, but like a bad blogger I didn't take any pictures!

Christmas 2010

We started off the Christmas season with a trip to ICE! Chris' mom and dad took the whole family (minus Colin and Josh) to see Santa Claus is Comin to Town.

The kids in their parkas, it was a bone chilling 9 degrees (something I will have to get used to!)



It's amazing to see what people can do with ice!

I am not very familiar with the story of Santa Claus is Comin to Town, but it was still pretty neat to see. I went to the Grinch a few years ago and it was pretty neat too!

Walking through the tunnel at the end, it had lights behind the ice that changed colors.

At the end, they always have a nativity scene in clear ice. Pictures don't do it justice, it is beautiful!

The END... now time to go warm up!

Pretty as a picture...

Two weekends in November I took updated pictures of Chris' brother and sister's families.

Craig, Christa, Ben, Grace, Sydney, and Samuel:


We did the pictures at the plaza area by the Library. I was really happy to get these next shots. I haven't gotten any good individual pictures of the kids in a couple of years. We haven't had any pictures on the walls since we have been married, but I definitely plan to hang some of them when we move!

All the kids did great for a while...

But as you can tell by the fake smiles, when they're done they are done! :)

Brian, Stephanie, Alexander, and Colin: I LOVE this picture!!

I also love this picture because it shows the boys personalities so well!! Alexander is excited and get excited about any and everything! Colin just thinks everyone is crazy (and probably rightly so)! :)

Again, I was very happy to get some new individual pics!

I saw this face many times that afternoon...

And then there was the money shot... Both kids looking AND smiling!

I am going to miss being able to take so many pictures of my family! I guess I will have to make up for it by taking more pics of Brynne (and blogging them) for everyone to see! :) :)

What's in a name??

Meet Brynne Christine:

This is a picture of the ultrasound from Thursday (hence the poor quality). It isn't a very good shot, but it's the best the ultrasound tech could get.

This is still my favorite ultrasound picture... I love that she (even though we didn't know she was a she at this point) has her little hand over her head!

Now back to the name...

Brynne was my middle name before I got married. I was never a big fan of it growing up, but over the years it grew on me. Chris (and lots of other people) REALLY liked it and really wanted to use it if we had a girl. I also wanted a less common first name since our last name is so common.

I'm sure a lot of people will think that Christine is after Chris, but Christine was my great aunt's name. Allison and I spent a LOT of time with our Aunt Chris growing up. Pretty much every weekend Allison and I would spend the night and go to church with her. She spoiled us rotten!! We like to talk about all the things she would do for us... We always wanted different things for dinner (and breakfast and lunch), so she would make each of us what we wanted. We both had certain cups/straws we liked to drink from and we always had Coke/Sprite from the little glass bottles!! She used to be a smoker and if we went out to eat, we would make her sit at a different table while she smoked. Then she quit smoking! She always had Lifesavers in her purse and didn't care if we unwrapped the entire thing to get to the flavors we liked. When we went out she would by Allison Skittles and Reese's for me! She would either (my choice) take me to the arcade in the mall or to buy a new lego kit from Rose's (before it was ghetto) every weekend. I could go on and on, but I thing you get the idea! :) :) Christine is also Jade's middle name and I'm sure you can see why Allison and I chose this name!

30+ Weeks, a BIG Move, and It's a...

It's so hard to believe, but I am 31 weeks today! This is the most recent picture I have and it was taken last weekend at 30 weeks. For the past several weeks I thought I had gotten quite a bit bigger, but in comparing this picture to the last one I really don't see much of a change!! I did find out this week that I can barely reach my toes! Baby has also been hanging out in my ribs quite a bit too!

Ever since Chris and I started dating (and before) he has been working toward becoming a Chaplain. It has been about 10 years in the making, but that dream has finally come true for him!! A little over three weeks ago, he was called about a job and as of yesterday has accepted the position and will begin January 3. While we are both VERY excited he has gotten his dream job, we are also sad to be leaving all of our family and friends :( Chris will be moving to Minnesota the week after Christmas and I will follow as soon as possible after the baby is born. We found an apartment to rent and are just waiting for the application to go through. As long as everything is still going well with me and baby, I plan to fly up there when he moves in to try and get things somewhat settled. When I come back I will be living with my parents until baby and I move for good (six weeks give or take after baby is born). This is going to be a very difficult next couple of months!!





With all of the changes on the horizon, Chris and I decided we should find out the sex of the baby! Chris may or may not make it back in time for delivery and didn't want to be the last to know the sex of HIS baby! We also thought it would be much easier to prepare and move things if we knew ahead of time. I had my regularly scheduled appointment this Tuesday, where we were able to discuss all of these things with my doctor (who ironically has family in MN). My doctor graciously offered us a free ultrasound for a quick sex check. So Thursday afternoon we went back in to see this:

(should be able to click to enlarge)

That's right, our precious baby is a girl! We can quit saying "it" now and start referring to HER by her name (which is another post coming soon)!



I'm sure there will be much more to come, so stay tuned...

Say Hello...

To our little friends!

Friend #1: Evil Squirrel Bryan (picture from Google, but how I imagine our friend looking)


For quite some time we have been hearing a little critter in our walls/attic. Neither of us really thought too much of it and even jokingly gave our little friend a name... He was Bryan, a combination of our middle names (Brian and Brynne). Well with winter and colder weather approaching, we noticed pieces of nuts everywhere and quite the mess! Apparently Mr. Bryan was saving up for the cold winter. Chris and I finally had enough! We got my dad to come over and seal up all the holes he could be coming in and out of... One problem, right before he go the last board up, Bryan ran back into the house!! Rather than waiting for him to come back out, he nailed the board up anyway. We haven't started smelling any dead animals yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if we did!


Friend #2: Sneaky Little Hummingbird Woody

For several weeks, while I was at home for lunch, I was hearing this pecking noise. It was so odd because it would start at the same time everyday, no matter what time I got home. I could never figure out what the noise was and one day Chris noticed this lovely little hole friend #2 left for us! I don't know how neither of us noticed this sooner because it is right on the front of the house!! So we started coming out and scaring him away everytime we heard the pecking. It only took two or three times to scare him away for good! Now we (my dad) have filled in the hole with caulk and all Woody's work was for nothing!

Hopefully we wont have any new (non-human) friends for a while...

Beautiful Baby Girls

Tuesday, November 16 these two beauties made their debute and I became an aunt for the 9th and 10th time...

Whitney Kate

12:12 p.m.

5lbs. 8oz.

19 inches

Brooke Carolyn

12:15 p.m.

5lbs 6oz.

17 3/4 inches

Mommy holding her girls for the first time!

Daddy getting ready to take them to the nursery...

Whitney after she got all cleaned up. I think she is sticking her tounge out at me for taking her picture :)

Brooke's turn :) :)

Saturday I went to see everyone again. I think Whitney could lay like this all day and be perfectly content. So sweet...

Brooke on the other hand seems to have a little more of a personality. She would rather stretch out than be swaddled.

I think they both look a lot like Allison. They both love to make this face... I think it is so funny!

After five long days (for mommy and daddy atleast) in the hospital, the girls were ready to come home!! They look so cute!!!

They are now one week old and have been home for two nights and I think everyone is adjusting well. I can't get enough of these two beautiful, healthy baby girls and they makes me more and more excited to meet our little bundle of joy in February!!